“Take a census of the sons of Gershon as well, by their patrilineal house, by their families” (Numbers 4:22). “Take a census of the sons of Gershon,” that is what is written: “It is more precious than pearls, and all the objects of your desire do not equal it” (Proverbs 3:15). We learned there, a Sage takes precedence over a king of Israel: If a Sage dies, we have no one like him; if a king of Israel dies, all of Israel is fit for kingship.
A king takes precedence over a High Priest, as it is stated: “The king said to them: Take with you the servants of your lord, [mount Solomon my son upon my mule, and take him down to Giḥon. Tzadok the priest and Natan the prophet shall anoint him there as king over Israel]” (I Kings 1:33–34).1The verse refers to the king as the lord of Tzadok, the High Priest. A High Priest takes precedence over a prophet, as it is stated: “Tzadok the priest and Natan the prophet shall anoint him there as king over Israel” (I Kings 1:34); Tzadok is before Natan.2Tosefta Horayot 2:8.
Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: A prophet folds his arms and legs and sits before the priest, what is the source? It is written: “Hear now, Yehoshua the High Priest, [you and your colleagues who sit before you]” (Zechariah 3:8). Could it be that they were lay people? The verse states: “As they are men of distinction [mofet]” (Zechariah 3:8), and mofet is nothing other than prophecy, as it is stated: “And he will provide you with a sign or a wonder [mofet]” (Deuteronomy 13:2).
A High Priest who was anointed with anointing oil takes precedence over one who was appointed with multiple vestments.3A High Priest could be appointed in two ways. He could be anointed with anointing oil, or he could enter his position by wearing the vestments of the High Priest. Since the High Priest has eight vestments and a regular priest has four vestments, the High Priest appointed by means of wearing the eight vestments is called "the High Priest of multiple vestments."
A prophet takes precedence over the priest anointed for war. The priest anointed for war takes precedence over the deputy of the High Priest. The deputy takes precedence over the head of the priestly watch. The head of the priestly watch takes precedence over the head of the patrilineal house.
The head of the patrilineal house takes precedence over the overseer. The overseer takes precedence over the treasurer. The treasurer takes precedence over the common priest. The common priest takes precedence over the Levite.
The Levite takes precedence over the Israelite. The Israelite takes precedence over the mamzer, the mamzer over the Givonite, the Givonite over the proselyte, the proselyte over the liberated slave. When? It is when they are all equal.
However, if the mamzer is a Torah scholar, he takes precedence over a High Priest who is an ignoramus, as it is stated: “It is more precious than pearls.”4Tosefta, Horayot 2:8. They thought to say: To redeem, to sustain, and to clothe [he takes precedence], but for seating, no. Rabbi Avin said: Even for seating. What is the source?
“It is more precious than pearls [mipeninim]” – even than the one who enters the innermost sanctum [lifnai velifnim]. Another matter, “it is more precious than pearls,” it is speaking of Kehat and Gershon. Even though Gershon is the firstborn, and we have found everywhere that the verse has accorded honor to the firstborn, because Kehat bore the Ark inside, which was the Torah, the verse gave him precedence over Gershon, as first it said: “Take a census of the sons of Kehat” (Numbers 4:2) and then it says: “Take a census of the sons of Gershon…” (Numbers 4:22).
That is, “it is more precious than pearls [mipeninim],” than the firstborn who emerged first. Peninim is nothing other than first, just as it says: “This was formerly [lefanim] in Israel” (Ruth 4:7).